Adding an Exhaust Fan to the Bathroom

It is important to have proper ventilation in your bathroom for your safety. Photo Credit: IngaMun

Adding an
exhaust fan to the bathroom is preventative medicine. This room requires
some type of ventilation to avoid potential damage. Constant exposure to moisture
without air circulation can cause mold and mildew to form. Plus, steam can
blister and crinkle paint. The best way to steer clear of these hazards is to
mount an exhaust fan in the
ceiling. Follow these basic
instructions for fan installation.

Drill
a reference hole in the ceiling. The best location is between the toilet and the shower. Try to situate
the vent between two ceiling joists. If that fails, the vent kit should come
with extension bars to attach to the nearest two joists.

Mark
and cut lines. Measure
the inside dimensions of the vent fan. Then cut a square in the ceiling;
ideally, it should be a tight squeeze. This will be the intake port for the
fan. Be sure to wear safety goggles as you jigsaw the opening.

Positioning
the fan and attach duct.
We’re back in the attic at this point. Secure your fan to the ceiling joists;
11/2 inch screws should do the trick. Now attach the 90-degree vent duct to the
fan housing opening. Next, take a couple of measurements to make sure the
connector duct can reach either the house soffit or the roof.

From
the attic, measure where you would like to start the outlet hole. Set up your extension ladder on the out
side of the house and set drill points. Using the measurements from in the
attic, begin to drill the exhaust outlet; you’ll need a 4-inch diameter hole
saw.

Still
on the outside of the house. Slide the wall cap into the hole and then use a cut piece of foam
rubber to use as a gasket. Then remove the wall cap and squeeze a bead silicone
adhesive around the siding and gasket. Put the cap back on and press it back in
to the house, while securing with screws.

Back
in the attic. Take the
free end of the flexible connector duct and attach it to the wall cap, using
foil and duct tape. Next is electrical.

The
exhaust fan wiring. It can be hooked up to the light switch or set
to an automatic timer. The timer will shut the fan off automatically. The light
switch is dependent on a person remembering to turn it off. Either way, make sure to wire the fan in a
parallel fashion.

For example: the black fan wire is set to black switch wire, the
white fan wire is set to white switch wire, etc. If the wiring is set up in a series mode,
then the lights will be dimmer because the fan is getting the majority of the
power. If you’re not completely ready for this part of the job, you might want
to hire an electrician.